EU 1) Duncan Smith and Boris lead rebukes against Obama’s EU intervention
“Mr Obama is expected to say America and the rest of the world benefits hugely from Britain being a strong voice in the EU. He will drive his claims home at a news conference flanked by David Cameron, and in media articles. But ex-Tory leader and Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith led a chorus of protest at Britain being told to accept open borders when the US does not do the same.” – Daily Mail
- Furious campaigners blast ‘hypocrite’ President – Daily Express
- Boris channels the President’s early message as he makes case to leave – The Sun
- Mayor says UK will thrive as never before outside the Union – Daily Express
Remain:
- America warns that EU referendum threatens TTIP – FT
- President claims being ‘in’ magnifies UK on world stage – Daily Mail
- UK businesses warn of Brexit’s impact on British investment – FT
- Cameron fails the Time influence test – Daily Mail
EU 2) Barack Obama: The EU makes Britain even greater
“As citizens of the United Kingdom take stock of their relationship with the EU, you should be proud that the EU has helped spread British values and practices – democracy, the rule of law, open markets – across the continent and to its periphery. The European Union doesn’t moderate British influence – it magnifies it. A strong Europe is not a threat to Britain’s global leadership; it enhances Britain’s global leadership.” – Daily Telegraph
- UK and US can be better friends than ever… if we vote to leave – Boris Johnson, The Sun
- By staying in the EU we can help dismantle it – Ed Conway, The Times (£)
- Brexit may break Britain’s Tory Party – Philip Stephens, FT
- Cameron could learn decency and dignity from the President – Polly Toynbee, The Guardian
EU 3) Fallon suggests UK will only ever fight with Europe now
“He said only Islamic State and Vladimir Putin would ‘welcome’ Brexit. He said whilst Nato was a ‘slower moving organisation that requires more elongated political decisions’, the partnership ‘inside Europe’ was able to deploy at ‘very short notice’… Asked if Britain would ever go to war alone again, he said: ‘It’s very hard to see the circumstances in which Britain would go into conflict again. The Falklands, I think, were very much an exception.” – Daily Mail
- Putin and ISIS favour Brexit, minister claims – The Times (£)
- Brown calls for a more positive Remain campaign – Daily Telegraph
- Brexit fear sees London office investment fall 52 per cent – FT
Defence:
- Russia sends highest number of submarines to Scotland in 20 years – Daily Mail
Comment:
- What would Brexit mean for European security? – Alexander Clarke, Daily Telegraph
>Today: Iain Dale’s column: The Leave campaign needs to up its game
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Ici Londres – Don’t believe Juncker, says Daniel Hannan, the EU will never give powers back
Osborne misses borrowing targets…
“George Osborne’s bid to drag Britain back into the black is under threat after he missed borrowing targets by nearly £2 billion. Official figures today revealed the Government was forced to borrow £74bn in 2015-2016 to balance the books. This was £1.8bn above targets laid out by the Chancellor in the Budget just last month.” – The Sun
- …just one month after they were set – FT
Comment:
- The future looks ugly for the Chancellor – Kelvin Mackenzie, The Sun
Javid announces the state could take 25 per cent stake in Tata steelworks
“The government could take a significant stake in Tata’s UK steel plants in an attempt to safeguard the jobs of thousands of workers. Sajid Javid, the business secretary, said that the government was drawing up a rescue package worth “hundreds of millions” to help to find a buyer for Tata’s plants, which include Britain’s biggest steelworks, Port Talbot. Ministers face a race against time to secure the future of Tata Steel’s UK operations, which employ 15,000 people.” – The Times (£)
- Huge, taxpayer-funded bailout for Port Talbot – The Sun
- How did a Tory Government come to do this? – The Guardian
- Corbyn urged to take action against aide who claimed crisis was good for Labour – Wales Online
- At last, a step towards saving British steel – Daily Mail editorial
Hunt criticises Labour as doctors mull indefinite walkout
“An indefinite walk out by striking junior doctors has been discussed by union chiefs, leaked emails revealed yesterday. Messages from senior BMA bosses – including militant chair Dr Johann Malawana – discussed how to create even more disruption for patients by calling for a full walkout with no return date. It came as Jeremy Hunt accused Labour of withdrawing “life-saving care” from patients.” – The Sun
- Pro-vaping party contests Welsh election – Wales Online
Gove’s vision of parent-led schools struggling to take off
“Michael Gove’s dream of parents setting up new free schools for their children has been shattered, according to figures showing just one successful application in the latest wave. The former education secretary championed the idea of putting parents “in the driving seat” of new autonomous schools, which he claimed would raise standards.” – The Times (£)
- Sturgeon pledges more teacher-parent control – The Scotsman
- Drastic budget cuts could see shorter school days in Ulster – Belfast Telegraph
Comment:
- Whatever happened to Cameron’s radical Britain? – James Kirkup, Daily Telegraph
- The shift over academies is a sign of dysfunctional government – Sebastian Payne, FT
>Today:
- Nicky Morgan MP in Comment: How we are reversing Labour’s failure to teach modern languages in Britain
- Judy Terry in Local Government: Councils should consider their own failings in school management before attacking academies
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Academisation – Morgan’s greatest test to date
- Adam Simmonds in Local Government: How Free Schools can help defeat crime
Farage stands by Scottish MEP as UKIP members complain
“A group of Ukip activists say they have “hit a brick wall” after complaining to the party leadership about the Scottish spokesman David Coburn’s “unsavoury, bullying and gaffe-prone” behaviour. Richard Lucas, one of 10 Scottish signatories to a letter warning that Coburn is “not suited to being the Scottish face of the Brexit campaign”, said the concerns had not even merited a reply from Ukip’s leader, Nigel Farage.” – The Guardian
News in Brief:
- Student unions start looking to quit NUS – Daily Mail
- Pop world stunned as Prince dies – The Times (£)
- Border guards ‘lack power’ to stop returning jihadis – Daily Telegraph
- FBI paid more than $1.4 million for iPhone hack – FT
- Islamist Turkey seizes all churches in a city and declares them ‘state property’ – Daily Express
- Scottish parties warned that higher taxes will drive out talent – The Scotsman
- Former Plaid leader risks party’s wrath after endorsing Labour candidate – Wales Online
- NHS denies routine operations to smokers and the overweight – Daily Mail
- Guardian staff facing cuts angry over former editor’s return – The Times (£)